So we’re all trying to take in the full meaning of the impending 3G iPhone release. We’ve sorted out the pricing on Apple’s side of it, $199 for the 8 Gig phone and $299 for the 16 Gig.  Sorted out the AT&T side of it, +$30 to your phone plan vs. the 1st Gen +$20. And now we’re trying to figure out the 1st Gen’s worth.

People initially reported the 1st Gen market as “Sunk”. Everyone who was trying to sell off their first gen phones all supposedly groaned at once at the announcement that the 3G was going to be cheaper than the phones they’re trying to move, to of course make some cash back towards the new phone. But after a few hours of thought I think people are starting to turn that prediction around. When you consider that AT&T and Apple are making a few changes in the way they sell and activate the 3G iPhones the 1st Gen could become very sought after.

3G’s are reportedly NOT going to be available online and I can believe it given that there’s no option to pre-order. Supposedly you’re going to have to go into an Apple or AT&T store to purchase your new phone and have it activated on the spot.  A 10 - 15 minute process - an you thought you waited in line for hours LAST time.

This in store activation is supposedly meant to keep people from buying the phones in bulk to either ship overseas, or to buy with the intention of NEVER signing up for AT&T service.  So basically, like most other plan locked phones, you buy it and activate it right there before you can leave the store. I have to imagine that you’ll be able to reactivate via iTunes after that as restoring is one of the prescribed solutions for issues on the support sign.  So basically it’s to get you to pen that AT&T contract that so many iPhone buyers DIDN’T do. And if you’re looking to use the 3G on another network - or as a cheaper hopped up iTouch - you’re out of luck. (Cute that they’re initially cheaper than the touch)

Another boost for the 1st Gen phones is the difference in plan pricing.  Like I said a full $10 a month for 3G over the Edge plan. What about folks, like my old man, who live in an area that doesn’t get 3G. I don’t know if you checked but Apple and AT&T aren’t selling 1st Gen iPhones anymore, not even refurb or clearance. Is the GPS and extended battery life worth the additional $240+ over the 2 year contract? Yeah so let’s go back and look at some math $199 + $240 = $439 for the 8Gig.  And for the 16Gig $299 + $240 = $539.

Now, I’m not trying to say screw it all, I mean, I expected the 3G to cost more.  Cause it’s full of 3G yum sauce, right? But it’d be nice to not wave the “New Low Price” around like they’re doing some sort of favor. Unless of course it works better for you to amortize it out over time. In that case, WOo HOO!  *shrug*

So, if you can score an 8 Gig for it’s original price or lower you’re still making out cheaper, same with the 16.  And that is of course assuming you don’t want/need/can make use of the 3G and GPS.

That’s the money side of it.  The other thing to note is, as I said earlier, AT&T and Apple are taking steps outside of software to keep the iPhone on the AT&T network. AT&T is aiming to at least get an early termination fee out of you by making you sign on the line when you pick up the phone. If, like me, you’re fine with AT&T the lack of unlocking is probably not such a big deal.  But who knows what changes they’ll have on the software side going forward.

Reports have it that Firmware 2 is already “jailbreakable” via a method that it is improbable that Apple will be able to correct. But what about going forward? Jailbreaking may prove more difficult on the 3G phones. Though, since I’m not intimately familiar with the process - besides clicking the button that says “Jailbreak me” I could be speaking to a moot point.

But firmware does bring up an interesting point about support.  It’s clear that Apple no longer intends on shipping any Edge iPhones. That ship has sailed.  But what is their commitment to keeping the firmware current between the two? I kind of think that 2.0 is going to have everything I’m going to want from Apple and the App Store will likely fill the gaps (And don’t forget 3rd party apps via jailbreaking).

But how long before its “obsoleted”? The turn over rate on iPods is already pretty high. But I’m the weird kind of guy who still has my 4Gig Nano and held onto my first Nokia cellphone for 4 years. I don’t foresee buying another phone unless this one breaks, or Apple release another Rev so feature packed it makes the 3G look like an old brick phone. I just hope it’ll be supported that long.

A bit of info. Even though you can’t find the information anywhere (without digging), AT&T is still activating 1st Gen iPhones with the initial price packages. So if you can find an Edge phone you can save yourself $10 a month.

I think that’s all I meant to say.  I got interrupted part way through writing and kind of lost the train of thought there.  But in summation, the 1st Gen is on the road NOT to being shunned and trashed, but most likely coveted for it’s cheaper data plan, easy jailbreaking and unlocking, and simple nostalgia at being the 1st of the iPhone family. Plus I know people buying them up to ship to poor shunned and 3Gless China.

Grab ‘em while you can.

BC: Oh… so like most noob mages, you don’t know how to control your threat

BC:

Rev: Controlling MY aggro would mean just sitting down and drinking. Even then I generate so much threat it’s mind boggling.

Modesty, I has it? Bored and dorky Tuesday.

Another video from the 4/26/08 Seattle show.  Baby Got Back cover this time.  I’ve got some more but I’ll leave it at this unless anyone wants to see more.

Baby Got Back (JoCo, Molly, Pual & Storm) Seattle 4/26/08 from RevFry on Vimeo.

Hey, I’m actually going to post something that’s flash, freaky.  Anywho, here’s a video I shot at the Jonathan Coulton concert up here in Seattle on the 26th.  This is Molly (sweetafton23) doing her song ‘Road Trip’.  Sorry about the quality but filming was really an after thought and everyone was so loud and… and.. you get the picture.  Now get the video?

Road Trip - Molly (sweetafton23) JoCo 4/26/08 Seattle from RevFry on Vimeo.

One of the most disturbing pictures I’ve seen in a while. I tell you, people, crazy is on the rise.

I managed to score a copy of DL2 Beta.  I’m checking it out now. Can’t wait for the final.

I’m turning off the iPhone specific theme/plugin for a bit because I noticed, for what ever reason, it causes wp-hashcash to throw out your comment with a nasty message when using the theme.

I don’t know why.  The hooks are there for hashcash.  But it just chucks the comment.  Doesn’t even offer it up to me for review.  So until i can figure it out, and since the iphone browser is “uber” I’ll just leave the theme off.

Let me know if you care.

I was holding off saying anything.  But looks like I jumped the gun a bit with DL 2.  Shipley is testing the site first to make sure it’s ready and it’ll stand up to load.  I guess I just assumed updating the site would be the fast and easy bit.

And yes, I already trying putting a 2 at the end of the current .dmg file and going to the uploads folder to see if I could nab it early.  No dice.  =/  *wait wait wait*

I’ve been harping on Wil Shipley on Twitter to finish Delicious Library 2.0.  After replying to me to let me know it was indeed ready now.  He twittered this to everyone:

wilshipley Right now I’m finishing upgrading the store, then going to ship DL2, then I’ll immediately launch Golden-Braeburn with the improved store.

Woo hoo! Break out that extra 20 bucks!

You may have seen them.  Kind of a money making take on the community bicycles in Portland.  All around town (some towns) there are cars parked in special little spots with catchy little stickers. The idea is you can pay a monthly/annual fee and pick up one of these little cars and drive all about the city.  Then you just drop it off at an assigned parking spot and you’re done.  No messy insurance. No maintenance or car payments. Sounds like a good plan, eh?  But I wonder…

While driving home today I had one of these little ZipCars pull out in front of me and then proceed to putt along at 25mph.  This got me thinking.  This person went out and rented this car.  Supposedly they don’t need a car full time.  Just here and there once and a while. Where as, I own a car.  I’ve had a one since I got my license.  I’ve been driving almost daily ( though I bus to work now) for the last 20 years almost.  I have honed my skill to Ronin-car-chase-scene levels of awesome.  I am dedicated to being on my game and knowing my car and how it performs. Is it possible that these every-other-Sunday drivers are actually a danger?

I’m not trying to say hurrah for me for driving my car in a time of environmental Fail.  But I have a bit of a problem with creating a whole class of perpetual student drivers.  If you’re not going to drive a car, don’t drive a car. What do you think?

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